Speech by Minister, Prime Minister's Office, Lim Swee Say, at the 84/11 Officer Cadet Course Commissioning Parade

Graduands of the 84/11 Officer Cadet Course,Parents,Ladies and Gentlemen,To all of you on parade tonight, congratulations. After 38 weeks of rigorous training, you are now ready to be commissioned as officers of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF).Today, you will pledge to defend our country, with your lives. It is a solemn and sincere pledge. Many of you will be leading Full-Time National Servicemen in your new assignments. This is a responsibility you must undertake with complete dedication and commitment, for the key to the strength of an armed forces, and to the outcome of any conflict, is how well trained, brave and determined our soldiers are.

The men you lead will come from diverse backgrounds that reflect the changing demographics of our country. They will bring with them different beliefs, expectations and attitudes towards National Service (NS). As their commanders, imbue in them a deep sense of mission and purpose. Inspire them, and help them to understand the significance of their contributions to the defence of Singapore. They must feel that they all have something precious worth defending, and all have a part to play in shaping the future of Singapore. Only then will they share the common goal of defending our home and our way of life as Singaporeans.

Above all, the men and women you command must feel, and be reassured, that they are led by leaders whom they respect and can entrust their lives to.

Lead by example. Inspire your men and women to follow you by demonstrating a high degree of professionalism and discipline. Spare no effort when training your men and women but never compromise on performance standards. Most of all, always have their safety at heart.

The change in programme in this evening's commissioning parade is a good illustration - our officers, our soliders, we are not afraid of rain. However, we should not take the threat of lightning too lightly. Earlier we witnessed some lightning in a distance and it was heading towards our way, and that's the reason why we decided to amend the programme. We train our soldiers as hard, as tough, as necessary, but we must always make sure that we take best care of their safety.

We must lead wisely. Your men will respect you only if they see that you really care for them.

Be physically fit and mentally strong. Always strive to execute your mission successfully whatever it may be, in training and in exercises. When faced with unfamiliar situations and challenges, overcome adversity with courage, fortitude and determination.

Amongst us today is a newly commissioning officer from the Royal Thai Army. I wish you all the best in your career when you return home. I am confident that the friendships forged here with your fellow officers from the SAF will remain with you always, and will strengthen the bonds between our armed forces, and the friendship between our two nations - Singapore and Thailand.
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Once again, congratulations to each and everyone of you. This parade marks the beginning of your service to our nation and people as an officer of the Singapore Armed Forces. It is a proud moment for you, for your parents and your loved ones. Always remember what you have been trained to do - to lead, to excel and to overcome.

I wish you all the very best as you fulfil your duty as commissioned officers of the SAF.

More Resources

• 303 Commissioned as SAF Officers